The work performed by farmers and gardeners often presents opportunities for hand and finger injury. Tools, equipment, machinery and heavy objects all can pose hazards if care is not taken. To help avoid injury, examine the job site and equipment for danger zones. All pinch, crush and cut points should have guards or safety shields whenever possible. Avoid placing hands or fingers where damage or injury can occur.

Identifying Hazards

Identify the pinch, crush and cut points on machinery, tools, equipment and stored or transported materials.

• Pinch points are created when one or more objects or machinery parts move counter to another part. Example: Gears and chains, pulleys and belts, tiller tines and frame, loader bucket and arms.

• Crush points occur when two objects move toward each other, or when one moving object collides with a stationary object, crushing a body part between them. Example: Use of three-point mounted implements or a front-end loader on a tractor. The area between the ground and the implement is the crush point when operating or attaching implements.

• Cut points occur when an object moves or rotates fast enough to cut through tissue. Example: Blades and machined edges, such as on a weed trimmer or a mower.

Pinch Point (front-end loader)

Crush Points (tractor implements)

Cut Points (flail mower)

Preventing Hand and Finger Injuries

Allow rotating parts to come to a stop before working on them:

• Do not use your fingers to retrieve objects from saw blades, knife blades or parts moving together.

• Do not use your fingers to retrieve dirt or other objects from rotating parts of machinery, such as the blades on a rototiller.

Perform maintenance only when the tool or machinery is not in operation:

• Use the lockout/tagout procedure during maintenance. If the guards are removed to perform maintenance, replace them immediately after servicing.

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